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Actually Tramadol is known to cause addiction (and hence withdrawal) issues for some dogs. Codeine is pretty mild as an opiate and would probably be less worrying in that regard than Tramadol. But really, best thing is to talk to a vet or neurologist for pros and cons of any drug. All drugs have some side effects and benefits may well outweigh any issues -- and side effects do not tend to happen to every dog, just to some.

Unfortunately there are not a lot of choices for managing some illnesses, SM being one of them. None of the medications is great for long term use. So selecting what works best is highly individual and needs to be based on lots of different factors, in discussion with a medical professional.

Or perhaps Zitec is a UK brand name; I can't find it when I google for brand names of cimetidine.

Pat

Sorry typing error it is ZITAC brand name for Cimetitdine but only in the UK I think. it is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist that inhibits the production of acid in the stomach - not an ANITHISTAMINE which is a totally different type of drug. Making this clear for others reading the thread, not having a go at you.

Tramadol- the effects seem to wear off fairly quickly and so it tends to be used for palliative care. It was tried for Teddy when he was really bad - not just used post op.

My understanding is that opiates are not that effective for nerve pain - certainly they are not for Trigeminal Neuralgia, which is a nerve pain condition. They are used post op, as in the Fentanyl patch for the pain of surgery not the SM though.

I'm glad you are going back next week and hopefully once you have finished your finals it will give you time to do more research. Sadly this condition still isn't that widely recognised and it is a situation where you need to be as informed as possible and be a partner in the management of your dog. [Although of course everyone should be in all management of your companions - and your own health] Vets and GPs do not have the time to research every condition as thoroughly as we are able to and they should be open to be being guided by our research, as long as it is form reasonable sources - there is much contradictory and incorrect information on the Internet.

I would strongly suggest taking in Clare's treatment diagram at the very least. At the end of the day you are paying for treatment and therefore can to a certain extent ask for what you want to at least be considered.

Sometimes your responses however helpful are a little insensitive. I am doing the best I can with what I know right now.

Oh, I'm sorry that I came across that way! I wasn't making any recommendations but just continuing to try to learn myself. Anne had asked about Tramadol, and I shared my experience in using it with a couple of geriatric dogs. I'm one of those people who pays attention to small details and has a good memory so I'll often pick up on anything written that seems new or different (such as using codeine to treat SM) and will ask questions about the new/different info. I know that being a stickler for details/facts can be very annoying and seem insensitive, but it has helped me learn a great deal over many years. I've not personally had a Cavalier (I've had 12) who had obvious signs of SM, but I've read a great deal about SM since the early 1990's. My 8 year old was recently MRI'd as part of a research project.

You are dealing with a very tough situation and are doing so much more than many because you are working with a neurologist. I think that a lot of comments that are made on threads such as yours are to share information not just with the owner who is making the particular post but to also share information with the many Cavalier owners who are reading this forum but who never post.

I've lost 11 dogs in the last 8 years, and although they were all in their teens, I've had a lot of personal experience in dealing with serious illness and loss of beloved dogs. So believe me when I say that I do understand the rollercoaster emotions involved (and trying to learn things very quickly while under stress) even though I almost always concentrate on "facts and figures" rather than feelings when I post here.